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At first glance, it appears almost simple: a black dial, a rose gold case and the brand’s distinctive double-ellipse silhouette.
However, the new Daniel Roth Extra Plat Rose Gold Gilt conceals one of those details that make haute horlogerie so fascinating. The gold Roman numerals and inscriptions are not printed over the black surface – they are actually part of the gold dial base itself, carefully revealed after a multi-stage finishing process. The result is an exceptionally slim dress watch that attempts to justify its CHF 55,500 price through craftsmanship best appreciated only from very close range.
Daniel Roth continues its return to the world of haute horlogerie with the new Extra Plat Rose Gold Gilt, a model that places the focus not on a mechanical complication, but on the almost forgotten art of dialmaking.
The new version joins the Extra Plat family and retains its recognizable minimalist character, although the combination of deep black, rose gold and hand-crafted guilloché gives the watch an entirely different sense of depth.
And it is precisely the dial that becomes the main attraction.
The Gold Details Actually Come From Within the Dial
On a conventional dial, markings are usually applied to the finished surface.
Here, the process is reversed.
The dial base is made from solid gold, while the Roman numerals, Daniel Roth name and individual number of each dial are first covered with a protective lacquer. Precise positioning of the markings is carried out using a silicone pad and printing plate.
Only then does the process of creating the black surface begin.
The dial undergoes several galvanic treatments to achieve the desired deep black tone. Time, temperature and even environmental conditions can influence the final result.
Once the protective lacquer is removed, the original gold surface reappears in those areas.
That is why the markings do not look as though they have been applied to the dial, but rather as though they are emerging from within it.
Several Days of Work Just for the Guilloché
Beneath the black finish lies another detail that is easy to overlook in photographs.
It is the fine pinstripe guilloché.
The engraving is performed by a single artisan on a traditional hand-operated rose engine, and this process alone requires several days of work.
The effect is not designed to be overt. Only when the light changes angle does the texture begin to reveal itself, as the black surface alternately absorbs and reflects light while the rose gold elements become increasingly pronounced.
Even more interestingly, achieving the black tone itself is not a fully automated process.
The dial is repeatedly immersed during galvanization, while the artisan determines the exact moment when the correct depth and intensity of color have been achieved. In other words, even in a process demanding extreme precision, there is still room for the human eye and experience.
Just 7.7 Millimeters Thick
Everything is housed inside Daniel Roth’s characteristic double-ellipse case crafted from 5N rose gold.
The dimensions are 38.6 x 35.5 mm, while the case measures just 7.7 mm in thickness.
These proportions perfectly reflect the philosophy of the Extra Plat collection – the watch is intended to be elegant, slim and discreet enough to disappear easily beneath a shirt cuff.
A black calfskin strap continues the dial’s dark palette, while the gold case and hands create a warm contrast. Gold therefore appears both around the dial and within it, visually connecting the case with the markings emerging from beneath the black surface.
A Movement Created at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton
Behind the dial is the hand-wound manufacture Calibre DR002, developed and assembled at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton under the supervision of Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini.
The movement consists of 143 components and 21 jewels, operates at a frequency of 4 Hz and offers a 65-hour power reserve.
The DR002 was developed specifically for the slim proportions of the double-ellipse Extra Plat case, while its architecture can be admired through the sapphire crystal caseback.
Finishing is, as expected from a watch at this level, carried out by hand. The bridges and edges receive detailed beveling, while the interior angles are shaped and polished manually. The movement also uses a traditional bar click, giving the winding experience a more distinctive tactile character.
Daniel Roth Extra Plat Rose Gold Gilt – Specifications
The case is made from 5N rose gold and measures 38.6 x 35.5 mm, with a thickness of 7.7 mm. The flat front sapphire crystal features an anti-reflective treatment, while the caseback is also fitted with sapphire crystal.
The black dial uses a gold base, pinstripe guilloché and gilt rose gold markings. Calibre DR002 is manually wound and features 143 components, 21 jewels, a 4 Hz frequency and a 65-hour power reserve.
The watch is water-resistant to 30 meters, while the black calfskin strap measures 20 mm between the lugs.
Priced at CHF 55,500
The Daniel Roth Extra Plat Rose Gold Gilt will be available from September 2026, priced at CHF 55,500 before taxes.
That positions it between the two existing versions in the collection. The Extra Plat Rose Gold is priced at CHF 50,500, while the Extra Plat Platinum costs CHF 65,000.
Still, the Gilt version may be the model that best expresses the philosophy of the revived Daniel Roth.
The brand, founded by master watchmaker Daniel Roth in 1988, was relaunched in 2023 with the support of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, yet its new chapter is not attempting to compete through the sheer number of complications or visual spectacle.
Here, luxury is almost the opposite.
Several days of work are required to create a detail that many people will notice only when they bring the watch closer to the light. The gold markings are produced through a far more complex process even though, at first glance, a simpler solution might appear almost identical.
It is precisely this slightly irrational devotion to detail that defines much of the appeal of haute horlogerie.
The Daniel Roth Extra Plat Rose Gold Gilt does not try to look like a CHF 55,500 watch from across the room. Its luxury is intended for the person who knows exactly what they are looking at.
